The Forbidden Fruit
The classroom burst into life as soon as the teacher left with the bell's ring. Kiyoshi's classmates stood up, calling out to their friends and promptly leaving.
Kiyoshi observed the usual group from the corner of his glasses, peeking over the top of his folded arms. Their laughter rang in his ears like a sharp knife. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance and growled quietly.
The most popular group in their grade had this distinct aura of power and entitlement. It was like they owned the room, and everyone else was peasants whom they could trample. They were a reminder getting friends wasn't worth the price. Pretending, lying, and putting up appearances in exchange for acceptance to flock in groups. He had enough of that. It wasn't worth going against who he is for the sake of others. They didn't care about him. They rejected and mocked him. Everyone will eventually hate him, so it was stupid to put the effort. No matter how much he tried, he will be rejected, because he's different. People hate what's different.
He took a string of his blonde hair, smooth and shiny against the sun. Foreign features. He would prefer dying rather than change his appearance to be accepted by others. He won't make the same mistake again.
The group's laughter boomed against the walls, making Kiyoshi jolt in his seat. Bringing back his attention to them, he caught a green-haired guy with a notable thin side braid flinching from the sudden outburst as well. It was apparent to Kiyoshi he was uncomfortable, faking a laugh around the group he seemed to cling desperately.
Kiyoshi was better off alone. It was better than being like that guy, a fake.
He gritted his teeth, nails digging into his palms as well.
"Hey, he's looking at us again," a girl whispered, her eyes noticing his downcast figure.
Seven pairs of eyes, including the side braid guy, turned to stare at him. Eyes observing their juicy prey, thirsty for blood.
Kiyoshi took his lunch dashed off his seat, keeping his gaze down.
As he was about to leave, he bumped into someone and staggered back.
"Hey." Kiyoshi flinched at the warm touch on his shoulder, swiftly slapping the hand away.
"Don't touch me!" He gasped as his voice echoed, bringing all the eyes from the remaining students in the class to him alone.
They glared with disgust, suspicious murmurs flying all around. "It's the weirdo. What is he doing?"
Panic pulsed through Kiyoshi's veins. His breathing quickened, vision pulsing in unison. He had to get out, but his legs were glued to the ground. Tears began to form in his eyes as Kiyoshi saw no escape. The surroundings were losing clarity, his body saturated with terror.
"Ryuugamine-senpai." A steel voice cut through the atmosphere. Breath caught in his throat, Kiyoshi turned his eyes to the familiar voice. Yet it couldn't be him.
Kidou Yuuto stood outside the classroom. Formidable and serious as ever, he excluded a commanding aura that stalled his surroundings. One by one, the others resumed their activities as per the boy's command.
"Follow me." The boy turned and walked down the hall without looking back.
Kiyoshi took a deep breath and exhaled before following meekly, half in a daze and half in disbelief. His head spun, but at least he could move.
It's Kidou-san. It's really Kidou-san! They hadn't been this close since the tryouts. He would have never thought they would encounter face to face again.
Ah, but why did he come? Kiyoshi gazed at Kidou-san's back-- how badly he wanted to wrap his arms around the boy's pre-pubescent shoulders--then glanced around as they descended the stairs and left the building. He could only let out a string of incoherent noises, trying to catch the boy's attention.
The boy turned around a corner and leaned against the wall. "The Commander wants to speak with you after school."
"The Comm-mmander?! Y-you mean the Coach?" Kiyoshi felt his face heat up, embarrassment spiking at his dumb reply. He awkwardly brought a hand to his neck.
"Yeah."
"Why. . .?" he asked innocently after a moment. His lips twisted into a grimace, remembering how the Coach told him he had no talent or place in Teikoku's varsity team. It was a waste of time, and he should focus on next year's exams. Kiyoshi glared down. What did he want from him?
"He will be waiting in his office. Just enter and announce yourself." Kidou-san detached from the wall and began to walk away.
"Ah-" Kiyoshi extended his hand towards the boy's leaving figure.
Kidou-san stopped, turning half-way. "Do you need something?" he asked in an aloof manner.
Kiyoshi looked down, pulling the corner of his sleeve. "Ah, no, I'm sorry."
". . . I trust you know to take chances when presented to you, Ryuugamine-senpai." Kidou-san left with those cryptic words.
Kiyoshi's hand fell limp. So much for a chance to talk with his idol. He was an idiot. There was no way he remembered, and they weren't that close in the first place.
"But. . . what does the Coach want?" He muttered.
This couldn't end well. Something wasn't right. He wasn't needed so why call him?
Anyway, if he wanted to know, he would have to go.
Kiyoshi spent the rest of the day glancing at his watch every few minutes. Time was passing slow.
He hugged his churning stomach. The thought of being under the Coach's overbearing presence escalated his anxiety. To distract himself from the pain, he paid attention to the ongoing lecture.
"The Bible says Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden where they didn't need anything. Water, shelter, and food were abundant," the teacher explained.
Paradise, the Garden of Eden, the setting of the Genesis book. He sighed. How useless.
". . . But then Eve was tempted by the snake to take the fruit from one of the trees, promising the wisdom of good and evil, and gave it to Adam after having a taste."
However, God had previously warned them to not eat it, otherwise, they would die. Disobeying their creator after that harsh statement seemed stupid. Was it because of curiosity, rebelliousness, or pure naïvety?
He laid down his head on top of his arms, gazing at the teacher lazily.
He had already given up. He was only a vague existence drifting around the world without a purpose. Nothing mattered anymore.
Wasn't he like Adam and Eve? At Teikoku, he didn't have much to worry except schoolwork. Just follow one step behind the crowd, doing his own thing. Yeah, Teikoku was his Paradise. No one spoke to him, no one bothered him. He didn't need anyone.
A pure heart is one that doesn't lie. If making friends meant lying, then he preferred to be alone. If he remained pure until the end, he would see God and could ask him why so much tragedy fell on him. Why did his parent's divorce? Why was he bullied? Why did people keep using him? Why was his life so shitty? There was no escape and nothing will change. Only the truth would let him rest in peace.
"I trust you know to take chances when presented to you, Ryuugamine-senpai."
As if the Coach would give him another opportunity.
The last bell rang like the signal to his execution. Kiyoshi gripped the strings of his bag as he walked towards the Coach's office, gaze lowered.
In front of the Coach, fear planted his eyes on the floor. The familiarity surprised and scared him.
The serpent dressed in magenta whispered sweet temptations, hanging his dream at the reach of his hand. A chance to enter the reserve team if you spy on Kidokawa.
Kiyoshi lifted his eyes slightly. The red fruit of hope was tempting. He stretched out his hand in a daze, but stopped short for a moment. . . .Something was strange.
"I trust you know to take chances when presented to you, Ryuugamine-senpai."
What was wrong about following his dream? It was everything he had left, the last thing that brought him raw bliss. His life was dull and miserable. He had already lost his pride, love, and integrity, stripped naked from head to toe.
Kiyoshi snatched the apple and bit it. Falling out of God's grace, he would be thrown out of the Eden to crawl the barren land of men for scraps. There was no turning back.